“Ifeelmyselfcalledupon,byourrelationship,andmysituationinlife,tocondolewithyouonthegrievousafflictionyouarenowsufferingunder,ofwhichwewereyesterdayinformedbyaletterfromHertfordshire.Beassured,mydearsir,thatMrs.Collinsandmyselfsincerelysympathisewithyouandallyourrespectablefamily,inyourpresentdistress,whichmustbeofthebitterestkind,becauseproceedingfromacausewhichnotimecanremove.Noargumentsshallbewantingonmypartthatcanalleviatesosevereamisfortune—orthatmaycomfortyou,underacircumstancethatmustbeofallothersthemostafflictingtoaparentsmind.Thedeathofyourdaughterwouldhavebeenablessingincomparisonofthis.Anditisthemoretobelamented,becausethereisreasontosupposeasmydearCharlotteinformsme,thatthislicentiousnessofbehaviourinyourdaughterhasproceededfromafaultydegreeofindulgence;though,atthesametime,fortheconsolationofyourselfandMrs.Bennet,Iaminclinedtothinkthatherowndispositionmustbenaturallybad,orshecouldnotbeguiltyofsuchanenormity,atsoearlyanage.Howsoeverthatmaybe,youaregrievouslytobepitied;inwhichopinionIamnotonlyjoinedbyMrs.Collins,butlikewisebyLadyCatherineandherdaughter,towhomIhaverelatedtheaffair.Theyagreewithmeinapprehendingthatthisfalsestepinonedaughterwillbeinjurioustothefortunesofalltheothers;forwho,asLadyCatherineherselfcondescendinglysays,willconnectthemselveswithsuchafamily?Andthisconsiderationleadsmemoreovertoreflect,withaugmentedsatisfaction,onacertaineventoflastNovember;forhaditbeenotherwise,Imusthavebeeninvolvedinallyoursorrowanddisgrace.Letmethenadviseyou,dearsir,toconsoleyourselfasmuchaspossible,tothrowoffyourunworthychildfromyouraffectionforever,andleavehertoreapthefruitsofherownheinousoffense.
“IAM,DEARSIR,ETC.,ETC.”
Mr.GardinerdidnotwriteagaintillhehadreceivedananswerfromColonelForster;andthenhehadnothingofapleasantnaturetosend.ItwasnotknownthatWickhamhadasinglerelationshipwithwhomhekeptupanyconnection,anditwascertainthathehadnonearoneliving.Hisformeracquaintanceshadbeennumerous;butsincehehadbeeninthemilitia,itdidnotappearthathewasontermsofparticularfriendshipwithanyoftheTherewasnoone,therefore,whocouldbepointedoutaslikelytogiveanynewsofhiAndinthewretchedstateofhisownfinances,therewasaverypowerfulmotiveforsecrecy,inadditiontohisfearofdiscoverybyLydiasrelations,forithadjusttranspiredthathehadleftgamingdebtsbehindhimtoaveryconsiderableamount.ColonelForsterbelievedthatmorethanathousandpoundswouldbenecessarytoclearhisexpensesatBrighton.Heowedagooddealintown,buthisdebtsofhonourwerestillmoreformidable.Mr.GardinerdidnotattempttoconcealtheseparticularsfromtheLongbournfamily.Janeheardthemwithhorror.“Agamester!”shecried.“Thisiswhollyunexpected.Ihadnotanideaofit.”
Mr.Gardineraddedinhisletter,thattheymightexpecttoseetheirfatherathomeonthefollowingday,whichwasSaturday.Renderedspiritlessbytheill-successofalltheirendeavours,hehadyieldedtohisbrother-in-lawsentreatythathewouldreturntohisfamily,andleaveittohimtodowhateveroccasionmightsuggesttobeadvisableforcontinuingtheirpursuit.WhenMrs.Bennetwastoldofthis,shedidnotexpresssomuchsatisfactionasherchildrenexpected,consideringwhatheranxietyforhislifehadbeenbefore.
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